Also known as: Advance America
Advance America is one of the largest payday loan companies in the United States, operating hundreds of retail locations across many states as well as an online lending platform. It offers payday loans, installment loans, lines of credit, and check cashing services. Product availability varies by state, since many states have laws that limit or prohibit payday lending or cap the cost of short-term loans.
Payday loans from Advance America are small-dollar loans due on or near your next payday. When the fee charged on a two-week loan is converted to an annual percentage rate, the cost is extremely high, often several hundred percent annually. Even installment loan products from short-term lenders like Advance America typically carry rates far above those available from banks, credit unions, or online personal loan lenders serving prime and near-prime borrowers.
These products exist to cover very short-term cash gaps and are not appropriate for ongoing financial needs, large expenses, or situations where repayment within a few weeks is not certain. Repeated use or rolling over loans creates additional fees and can make a difficult financial situation worse.
Before using Advance America or any similar payday lender, look at alternatives first. Credit union payday alternative loans are available to members at much lower cost. Community Development Financial Institutions offer small-dollar loans to underserved borrowers. Emergency hardship programs, nonprofit assistance funds, and employer pay advances may also help you avoid high-cost borrowing.
If you do use Advance America, borrow only what you need, repay in full on the due date, and do not roll the loan over. Review the full APR and total repayment cost before accepting any loan.
Quick info
Short-Term Loans
Advance America
Grupo Elektra
Licensed by applicable state regulators. Owned by Grupo Elektra (Grupo Salinas).
2026-06-06
⚠ Scam awareness
Fraudsters sometimes impersonate real debt collectors or lenders to trick people into making payments. Before paying or giving personal details to anyone claiming to be Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc., verify their identity by calling the number on their official website — not the number they gave you. Request everything in writing. Report suspected scams to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to the CFPB.
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Payday loans; installment loans; line of credit; check cashing
Additional notes
Costs can be high. Not available in all states. Borrowers should check state regulations and consider lower-cost alternatives before applying.Review scores are third-party public indicators only. They are not a recommendation or endorsement by Ask Fin and are not a measure of product suitability for your circumstances.
No review data available for this company.
Source URLs
Date checked
2026-06-06
How do I make a complaint about Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc.?
Start with Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc.'s internal complaints process. If unresolved, you can submit a complaint to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Depending on the type of company, your state attorney general or banking regulator may also be relevant.
Is Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc. regulated in the US?
Use the NMLS Consumer Access tool at nmlsconsumeraccess.org to check licensing. For banks, check the FDIC BankFind Suite. For credit unions, check the NCUA Credit Union Locator. Ask Fin includes regulatory reference numbers where publicly available.
How do I find Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc.'s official contact details?
Always use the contact details on the company's official website. Do not use numbers or emails received in unsolicited calls or messages. Verify the website by checking the NMLS or FDIC/NCUA databases if in doubt.
What should I do if I think Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc. has treated me unfairly?
Document everything in writing. Contact the company's complaints team first. If not resolved, submit a complaint to the CFPB or your state attorney general. The NFCC (1-800-388-2227) can provide free guidance for debt-related issues.
Where can I get free help with a Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc. issue?
Contact the CFPB (consumerfinance.gov), call 211 for local resources, or contact the NFCC (nfcc.org or 1-800-388-2227) for debt and budget help. For legal issues, Legal Services Corporation (lsc.gov) provides free legal aid.
Use Ask Fin's free budget tools to see if there may be lower-cost alternatives for your situation.
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